Tag: women

I love this story, appearing in the New York Times, written by Ruth La Ferla. How refreshing and invigorating to see someone my age strike an individualistic fashion statement without reserve.

Calm, graceful and unapologetic, Lyn Slater asserts her free will and expressive clothing choices with aplomb and panache. She gives me hope that there may be some women out there willing to take a chance and wear clothing that is outside the narrow restrictions of “the norm.” Bravo Lyn!

Jan Kirstein

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If you like this story, you might find my fashions appealing at Kirsteinfineart. My fashions can work well for you, no matter your age. Young or age plus, these styles make a definite statement for the woman who is an individualist. Check out my fashions And enjoy my landing page here for my new Collection: Evening Splendor.

“Shaman’s Dream,” long sleeve women’s t-shirt by Jan Kirstein : Front. This design originated from my mixed media painting of the same name.

“Wild and Wicked 2” by Jan Kirstein. Click images to see enlargements.

Writing advice from Coco Chanel

No doubt you’ve heard of Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer who liberated women from stiff, formal clothing and popularized the still-ubiquitous “Little Black Dress.” Her fashion advice remains legendary—just Google “remove one accessory” and your screen will fill with blogs and articles quoting or misquoting her famous dictum

“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”

But while Chanel intended that as fashion advice, I think it works just as well for writers.

How many adverbs have you used? Surely you don’t need them all. And those adjectives—wouldn’t a few descriptive phrases enliven your work more?

Of course, before you can revise—your outfit or your writing—you have to create it first. Write until you’ve finished the draft. But before it “leaves the house,” give it a good once-over. Is every word, every sentence, necessary? If it isn’t—copy, cut, and paste. Slap it into the writer’s equivalent of a jewelry box, the Outtakes file.

While we’re on the subject of revising, I’d lop off “In order” at the top of that sentence. But let’s not blame Chanel; perhaps it got added in translation.

“To be irreplaceable, one must be different.” I tell my writers a variation of this all the time. And my clients, too. They talk about subjects that thousands—millions—of people have already talked about: diversity, ethics, management. How can they differentiate themselves from the crowd? By weaving their own stories into the mix. No one else has had yourexperiences, has your perspective.

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Nancy Hillis gives an excellent talk on contrast this week in the program “Studio Journey.” She speaks of the visual excitement generated by contrast of color: light and dark, warm and cool, and the play of complementary colors, colors that exist on opposite sides of the color wheel. She demonstrates these contrasts within her own paintings. She also examines contrast of smooth and rough texture of paint application, opaque and transparent paint applications and soft washes vs. bold brush work.

I love the teaching bundles in her program “Studio Journey.” She brings knowledge of science, art, mythology, psychology and physics together into easily understood food for though and exploration. A truly enlightening journey.

Nancy Hillis is an abstract painter, currently working in her art studio on medium to large abstract paintings. At the beginning of her program “Studio Journey” she says:

“Welcome to Studio Journey. I’m delighted that you’re here! As a fellow Journeyer, I want to guide and inspire on your journey. My mission is to encourage you to cultivate a robust studio practice, explore and experiment in your art and ultimately create your deepest, most authentic and personal work.

I see our work as artists as being a never ending journey of listening to and answering the call within ourselves to step into the wonder and the mystery of our art and our life. Just as in life, we’re continually coming back full circle to the foundations, the beginning of our journey. We do this over and over again and each time, we see the beginning with new eyes informed by our experiences.”

The Studio Journey has inspired many painters from all over the world who find her teachings enlivening and fulfilling. The challenges are exhilarating and a personal learning experience for all in this on line painting extravaganza.

Creations I have made on this Studio Journey, by Janis Kirstein:

38.203838-85.662267

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So often, permission to create is denied to us through a variety of societal restraints as well as self imposed restrictions of judgements and insecurities. To create is a right you are born to fulfill. And what better way to begin creating than in an unlined journal. Write your thoughts and add your sketches. You deserve the right to find your voice.

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I share a studio with two other artists in Louisville Kentucky. We just recently had a very sad encounter with reality in the form of a homeless man who lingered constantly around our studio door. The story around this man unfolded in a series of tragic vinyetts leaving us all with a renewed awareness of the fact that the problems facing the homeless are, in fact, everyone’s problem.

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I would lke like to invite you to the opening today of my new website: http://kirsteinfineart.myshopify.com. You can visit through this link or through my main menu on my front page through the Shopping tab.

Here are just a few of my favorite things you can see: (Click on thumbnails to enlarge.)